Many classes of mechanical devices require the generation and maintenance of orbital motion. Pumps and compressors are one class of device where operation of an apparatus often requires that one or more components be moved in an orbital fashion.
For example, common scroll pumps and compressors consist of a cylindrical chamber which encloses a pair or interlinked scrolls. One scroll is fixed to the chamber wall. The second is mounted, typically by a mechanical linkage, to a rotating power shaft. The shaft and linkage impart orbital motion to the second shaft. The mechanical linkages which impart orbital motion in a conventional scroll pump design must extend into the fluid pumping chamber, however. Therefore, complicated seals which can develop leaks over time are an inherent shortcoming of this type of conventional design.
A fully sealed, novel pump design which also relies upon the generation of orbital motion to pump fluid is disclosed in International Patent Application Serial Number PCT/US03/00185 (WO 03/058068), filed Jan. 3, 2003, entitled ORBITAL FLUID PUMP, which application is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. The pump of the WO 03/058068 application features an electromagnetic drive attached to outside portions of the fluid pumping chamber, so the need for seals which might be subject to failure is eliminated. An electromagnetic drive such as is disclosed in the WO 03/058068 application relies upon the application of periodic forces which are offset in time. These periodic forces may be described as periodic functions separated by a phase angle.
The periodic forces or functions may be generated by a circuit which uses an oscillator to generate the forces or functions at a preset frequency and phase angle. Enhanced efficiency and performance can be obtained if the periodic forces or functions are applied to the mechanical device with appropriate feedback from the device as to maintain the natural or desired frequency and phase angle. A need exists for a method to compensate for variations in the properties of the device which may lead to changes in the required frequency or phase angle of the periodic forces or functions. A conventional control circuit based upon an oscillator with no feedback will not automatically compensate for these variations in the properties of the mechanical components of the device. Thus, it is possible for an oscillator based circuit to generate forces or functions contrary to the resonant frequency and desired phase angle of the device, resulting in inefficiency or failure.